School zone sex sting ends with 6 charged with prostitution

Authorities ran a sting to target people who sell and solicit sex in a school zone in the Cloverleaf subdivision in east Harris County, ending with five men and one woman arrested and charged with prostitution.

A street level prostitution sting in a school zone in east Harris County conducted by the HCSO's Vice Unit, with assistance from Harris County Constable Precinct 3, resulted in six arrests.

Authorities ran a sting on Thursday to target people who sell and solicit sex in a school zone in the Cloverleaf subdivision in east Harris County.

"Talk about idiocy beyond the level of comprehension," said Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia.

The operation used undercover female deputies posing as prostitutes working the streets, along with male undercover deputies canvassing the area for women soliciting money in exchange for sex.

"Our deputies on the east side of Harris County, in what we call District 3, working jointly with Constable Ken Jones and the task force that we have in operation with him, not only were they enforcing the traffic laws, but ... they have also enforced the prostitution laws of individuals who were soliciting for sex in a school zone," Garcia said. "If you see anything like what occurred in east Harris County, report it to us and we will investigate. We've got handcuffs to spare."

In all, authorities say five men and one woman were arrested and charged with prostitution. They are identified as:

Jennifer Darnell

Carlton Lewis

Julio Cortez

Ezequiel Mu?oz

Gerardo Rodriguez-Zomora

Carmelito Reusora

Parents say prostitution is common, but they didn't expect to see it so close to children.

"That's the worst thing because they can see everything," said Karen Cortez, whose child attends Cloverleaf.

Joyce Solis says she was recently having a party for her granddaughter in their home near the school when prostitutes arrived.

"We had picnic benches and they just boldly walked up and accosted some of the men ... while all of us were sitting on the picnic benches," Solis said.

She and others are hoping busts like this will at least move the prostitution away from this school.

"If they want to go live that life, then why live in a neighborhood where there's families? Go away from that," Solis said.

Investigators credit those who live in the area for bringing this to their attention.